On a mission

[GartenSpinnen]

So i am very interested in arachnids especially tarantulas and true spiders, but i have this "goal" i have had in my head for the longest time now. I want to discover a new species of spider in the United States. What are the chances of this happening hypothetically speaking? I have seen a lot of weird looking spiders lately around Michigan that i have never seen before. How would i go about the identifications? Any help would be appreciated! I WILL find a new species of spider!
-Nate

 

[xgrafcorex]

i'm no expert, but just find said species...exhaust all references trying to see if it has been discovered...get microscope and examine the whole thing until you feel like going crazy, and take notes on distinguishing features. ie eye pattern, leg/leg segment length, spermathecae, etc.

i don't know what the chances are though..i imagine fairly slim. best bet would be to explore deep in undeveloped areas..where there is possible some microhabitat that has a species of spider that just lives there. heh i'm sure someone here can give you a better answer though..that's just how i'd do it i guess.

 

[sick4x4]

So i am very interested in arachnids especially tarantulas and true spiders, but i have this "goal" i have had in my head for the longest time now. I want to discover a new species of spider in the United States. What are the chances of this happening hypothetically speaking? I have seen a lot of weird looking spiders lately around Michigan that i have never seen before. How would i go about the identifications? Any help would be appreciated! I WILL find a new species of spider!
-Nate

hey me to but i was thinking more like Borneo or somewhere in Mexico....if you ever want to plan a trip like that , let me know..im down!!!

 

[pitbulllady]

So i am very interested in arachnids especially tarantulas and true spiders, but i have this "goal" i have had in my head for the longest time now. I want to discover a new species of spider in the United States. What are the chances of this happening hypothetically speaking? I have seen a lot of weird looking spiders lately around Michigan that i have never seen before. How would i go about the identifications? Any help would be appreciated! I WILL find a new species of spider!
-Nate

They are actually pretty good. I participated in a "spider survey" of the newly-created Congaree National Park in Congaree, South Carolina, last November, which was led by a Dr. Robert Wolff. According to information that was gathered from collecting species within the park, we found over 60 species which were not known to have even existed in South Carolina at all prior to the survey, and of those, 15 or more turned out to be species which were possibly entirely new to science and had not been previously cataloged or documented ANYWHERE, including a huge Phidippus species that was unlike any known example of that genus. Dr. Wolff even stated that if you want to discover a new species of animal, spiders and arachnids are a good place to start, since up until now, there really has not been that much interest in this group, compared to many other animal groups.

pitbulllady

 

[Johnnyster]

oops.....had posted the reply on wrong thread

Mexico would be a good place.....Im actually planning a trip over there to see what I could find. (with my camera of course, wouldnt think of bringing anything back with me).

Well, good luck and hope you accomplish it.

 

[JLDomestics]

Latrodectus shammer4lifensis

 

[cabey0201]

That sounds fascinating pitbulllady! How would I go about getting involved with a spider survey?